Where Was Finestkind Filmed? All Locations For The Jenna Ortega Movie Explained

Summary Finestkind features a star-studded cast and a gripping story about a fishing crew caught up in drug smuggling, led by Jenna Ortega's character Mabel.

The film's authentic Massachusetts setting in New Bedford brings a realistic and textured portrayal to the screen, adding to the overall atmosphere.

Shooting locations in Boston and along the Massachusetts coastline helped capture the necessary urban and maritime scenes, enhancing the film's grounded crime thriller and family drama aesthetic.

The new Jenna Ortega film Finestkind has proven to be a popular addition to Paramount+, and the movie is notable for how it portrays its authentic Massachusetts setting. Finestkind's cast also stars Ben Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, and Toby Wallace in leading roles, and they portray the crew of a fishing boat who get caught up in a drug smuggling operation partially run by Ortega's character Mabel. Finestkind had its premiere at last year's Toronto International Film Festival, and its distribution rights were then purchased by Paramount+, where the film was released in December 2023.

Finestkind's story focuses primarily on Toby Wallace's character Charlie, who's grown tired of his normal routine and decides to join up with his half-brother Tom (Ben Foster) as a fisherman. Charlie gets romantically involved with Mabel, and when Tom receives a hefty fine for fishing in Canadian waters it's Mabel who offers them a solution: pickup a load of Heroin on their fishing boat and smuggle it into the country. Things don't go as planned, and the boat's crew is forced to navigate the criminal underworld as they uncover whether or not Ortega's character betrayed them.

Related Finestkind Ending Explained Finestkind's ending proved positive despite Ray's violence against Weeks, with all the families at its core finally reconciled and closer by the end.

The Film Was Primarily Shot In New Bedford, Massachusetts

Finestkind was mainly shot on location in various parts of Massachusetts. The story is set in the port town of New Bedford, and the main unit of principal photography was based there during the production. Shooting on location in New Bedford allowed Finestkind to exude a wonderful authenticity, giving its New England setting a realistic presentation and texture. New Bedford is located in Bristol County along the southern coast of the state, and has roots stretching all the way back to the colonial periods of American history. Its port is still the most valuable fishing location in the United States.

Some Shooting Was Done In Boston And Other Parts Of Massachusetts

In order to capture all the necessary locations needed for the film's story, Finestkind ended up shooting some scenes here and there along the coast of Massachusetts. Some of the scenes were shot in Boston, the state's capital and largest city. This was likely done whenever there was a need for a wider variety of urban locations that weren't provided by the relatively smaller and sleepier town of New Bedford. On top of this, large portions of the film take place along the titular fishing vessel, and were thus shot along different parts of the Massachusetts coastline.

The film aims to be a grounded, realistic crime thriller and family drama, and on-location photography was one of the surefire ways to get this feeling and aesthetic across to an audience. The story simply would not have had the impact that it currently does if it was shot in other common filming destinations, such as Atlanta or Los Angeles. The authentic Massachusetts setting adds to the atmosphere and believability of Finestkind, and helps the audience to connect with its world and characters.